The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's greatest challenge: Phallic clams

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on Tuesday proved they are the masters of diplomacy after being presented with one of the biggest challenges of their culinary touring careers: an "absolutely phallic" clam.

After inspecting the fresh raw clam, the couple later accepted a taste of the geoduck once it had been transformed by Japanese chef Hidekazu Tojo into thinly-sliced sashimi, garnished with a miso mustard sauce.

“There is a slightly firmer texture to this,” said the Duchess. “It’s really unusual. I've never seen it before. It's so fresh from the sea.”

Mr Bell said: “It is an extraordinary species. You can eat the body, but you can also eat the neck raw, which is what they ate.

“It is absolutely phallic, but at end of the day it is a clam. Here on the west coast we have some of the best wild, well-managed shellfish in the world.”